Chapter 41
Since he didn’t struggle much after63Please respect copyright.PENANAZbhjZ78YSF
they started moving, the Serpents didn’t see a need to bag him or knock him63Please respect copyright.PENANATwB3BtocEA
unconscious. While they walked through the down, he took a quick peek, and it63Please respect copyright.PENANANIMRJTIHOp
appeared as though everyone in the village was on the side of the Serpents.63Please respect copyright.PENANAhUgpEG9hTl
Even the normal seeming folk talked with the Serpents as if they were old63Please respect copyright.PENANA3lgTvMi2dj
friends. He would have to investigate what would make a village so close to the63Please respect copyright.PENANAJm8BnUAQXj
city turn on the King. He didn’t see Eliza, but he could feel her watching and63Please respect copyright.PENANAbOFUsUGhI5
waiting. Eve opened a door leading into an Inn where Serpents were eating and63Please respect copyright.PENANAJPjjsVdHpf
talking with each other.
“Is63Please respect copyright.PENANAzwaOU5ve9t
that you Eve?” someone from behind the bar asked.
“Yea63Please respect copyright.PENANAgVyaHTXgIS
your old bastard it is.” She laughed. The bigger man launched himself over the63Please respect copyright.PENANAt06n8CJAm4
countertop then picked her up on his arms spinning her around.
“I63Please respect copyright.PENANA7U1VhnVUJK
see you completed your mission.” The strange man nodded appreciatively at63Please respect copyright.PENANA20xm6zrHwF
Vander. “Lord Cranton will be pleased, though I’m surprised he came on his63Please respect copyright.PENANACESXM77tSI
own.”
“Some63Please respect copyright.PENANADRMEkKkY93
of his squad members came with him, me included, but I took care of the63Please respect copyright.PENANAmU8KgPlY7a
troublesome ones then had our men kill the others.” Eve beamed. “You should63Please respect copyright.PENANAaVYeZy0nHb
have seen his face.”
“How63Please respect copyright.PENANABGAamV0Pxy
many did we lose?” the man frowned.
“Seven.”63Please respect copyright.PENANALvwRorRjgb
She spoke. “I told you not to underestimate him.”
“I’ll63Please respect copyright.PENANAZOurUp14jL
have to triple our fee then.” Vander let out a cough causing the two of them to63Please respect copyright.PENANAZV4QmKWTlo
look at him.
“I63Please respect copyright.PENANADm2HV1Kkv3
don’t suppose you’ll introduce yourself?” Vander smiled. “It’s nice to let one63Please respect copyright.PENANAUmykZytjOb
know who he should address.”
“This63Please respect copyright.PENANA4mvalhXhtO
isn’t high society any more whelp.” The man backhanded Vander across the face.63Please respect copyright.PENANABoHbJp6kiD
“I don’t owe you a fucking thing.” Vander spit out a bloodied took onto the63Please respect copyright.PENANAhwxmViq5bI
ground.
“It’s63Please respect copyright.PENANAKK3jvPQXnm
alright Batiste, I know who you are.” He smiled. “My grandfather told me so63Please respect copyright.PENANAccqzhID3T5
much about you. Glad to see you slumming around with traitors. I can’t wait to63Please respect copyright.PENANAUFmlYgyOOL
sink my sword into you.”
“Treat63Please respect copyright.PENANAYDKUFyMzMr
a guy to dinner first.” Batiste chuckled. He walked over then pulled Vander’s63Please respect copyright.PENANAy4X6SiOnmx
head back until they were staring eye to eye. “Once they get what they want63Please respect copyright.PENANAKyls1U7IZP
from you, you’re all mine. I’m going to enjoy sending pieces of you to your63Please respect copyright.PENANAtjQh5LYvQp
bastard grandfather.” Vander responded by smashing his face into Batiste’s63Please respect copyright.PENANAPEd7jGKTtu
nose. He stumbled backwards, blood pouring out of his crushed nose.
“Get63Please respect copyright.PENANA9v0x8BZJro
him downstairs!” Eve snapped.
He63Please respect copyright.PENANAvzwF7ActZJ
was roughly picked up and hauled away.
He63Please respect copyright.PENANACfpOpzil1J
was thrown into a dusty corner and kicked one final time before they left him63Please respect copyright.PENANAUdvj9Gj4V2
down there. He slowly sat up and waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom of63Please respect copyright.PENANA6sm2y6Ltuu
the darkness. There were two unconscious forms lying in the cell next to him.63Please respect copyright.PENANA3OKZkUM3tL
Eliza and Kiara. Thank goodness they were safe.
Upon63Please respect copyright.PENANA4R9QE96yuL
hearing the door close, he saw Eliza moved. She slowly sat up then turned her63Please respect copyright.PENANAalNO6PuhBF
head to look over at him. It took her a moment to recognize him, but once she63Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1H3ZXHqHg
did, she threw her arms around his neck.
“Vander,63Please respect copyright.PENANAvgBH3q8jEv
why did you come?” she whispered into his ear.
“To63Please respect copyright.PENANAaVLtTD6l3Y
get the both of you back.” He responded, embracing her. “Is Kiara, okay? Is the63Please respect copyright.PENANAhyZFyeI5ti
baby harmed?”
“No.”63Please respect copyright.PENANASCpzxaMZoI
Eliza shook her head. “They only took her to get you and Cuvera here. They want63Please respect copyright.PENANAqKPKFdOVDl
the shards we possess, but how are they going to extract them from us?”
“I’m63Please respect copyright.PENANAYhWXNLTfj0
not sure, but whatever it is, it won’t be good.” Vander frowned. “We need to63Please respect copyright.PENANAWhyMpw8hP6
get out of here before Cuvera shows up with reinforcements. We don’t want to63Please respect copyright.PENANArXkJnBREyO
get in the middle of a drawn-out fight.”
“Do63Please respect copyright.PENANABpET6N1FCi
you have a plan?” she asked.
“Let’s63Please respect copyright.PENANAEACvHR05e1
just wait and see what happens.”
…
Kiara63Please respect copyright.PENANAXfLBzDnpWX
woke up a few hours later. She was doing alright, but Vander knew that she was63Please respect copyright.PENANAWVGICffJwk
worried about the baby. Eliza soothed her while they discussed their next63Please respect copyright.PENANAXQOOjh0bZ8
steps.
It was nightfall before anyone came63Please respect copyright.PENANAkYHmVoRrn4
back for them. Batiste and Eve came down the stairs with a third person walking63Please respect copyright.PENANAcEKOg0SVpA
behind him. Vander recognized the smell and let out a low warning growl. Peyton63Please respect copyright.PENANA6ISIL6cOgP
Cranton smiled down at him with an evil glint in his eye.
“I63Please respect copyright.PENANAWqH97ALTEE
told you he would come.” The man snarled. Vander lunged for him, but the metal63Please respect copyright.PENANA4tYjl5AnzL
bars kept him from leaving the cell.
“Come63Please respect copyright.PENANAYMhtkpdeub
here you slimy bastard.” Vander snapped. “I’ll snap your neck with my bare63Please respect copyright.PENANAksvrZiRpaB
hands.”
“You63Please respect copyright.PENANAVhCW4qplTf
always were such a handful, Captain.” Peyton nodded at one of the Serpents who63Please respect copyright.PENANAVzqnefCqCi
smashed him in the stomach with the butt of his sword. Vander fell to the63Please respect copyright.PENANAcqkZ4zvHXF
ground clutching his stomach trying to hold back the tears.
“Why63Please respect copyright.PENANAFSxRL27LKf
are you doing this, Peyton?” Kiara had woken up and while she was angry, she63Please respect copyright.PENANAhD1DnI3YOh
wanted to understand. There was no way this kind man would do something so63Please respect copyright.PENANAHink4Bkj2R
cruel for no reason.
“What63Please respect copyright.PENANAcetyS6lesB
other reason is there?” Peyton laughed. “I crave power, always have. This is63Please respect copyright.PENANAPhUjbDCRjz
the only way I can get it. Now, take those two to the courtyard.” He pointed63Please respect copyright.PENANAz2tmRFkT1q
towards Vander and Eliza. “They have the shards we need.”
“What63Please respect copyright.PENANAuVRZzd0hOE
about the Queen?”
“Once63Please respect copyright.PENANAlOzGdSV6ES
the ceremony is complete, I don’t care what you do to her.” Peyton shrugged.63Please respect copyright.PENANAea7w9Ny2G9
“But for now, we need them alive to assure their compliance.”
“Understood.”63Please respect copyright.PENANAGKiEfoRz3f
Batiste grinned. He instructed his men to open the door. Pairs of hands grabbed63Please respect copyright.PENANAo8LiVnidqx
Vander, making sure he couldn’t move, while Eve grabbed hold of Eliza. Eliza63Please respect copyright.PENANAM9stXSA79e
tried to fight back, but Eve held a knife under her throat.
“Actually,63Please respect copyright.PENANAORGEODzg1i
bring the Queen with us.” Eve said. “If they try to fight us, we start chopping63Please respect copyright.PENANABZcBlOeRJq
off pieces of her body.”
“Do63Please respect copyright.PENANAm8nPQbOfst
it.” Batiste ordered. Kiara didn’t even fight back when two more Serpents63Please respect copyright.PENANApxEWh5v24w
grabbed her pulling her to her feet. The three of them were hauled from their63Please respect copyright.PENANAuJi8sS6Hk1
cells, out of the Inn, and into the square.
Serpents63Please respect copyright.PENANAEy1U7VlkKd
were stationed all along the space not giving any of them room to try and63Please respect copyright.PENANA7dr8kKnzLz
escape. Kiara was dragged to the side while a Serpent held a knife to her63Please respect copyright.PENANA8WHgWvn2lM
throat. Vander and Eliza were dragged to the center then their shirts were63Please respect copyright.PENANA1WXYBgWBk7
forcibly removed from their bodies. The night air was cold, but warmth emanated63Please respect copyright.PENANAa0n3vSnOlz
from Eliza calming him down. They were forced to kneel afterwards. A strange63Please respect copyright.PENANAOpnNrRpU4x
man wearing a long black walked over to them holding a knife.
“Welcome63Please respect copyright.PENANABDq2px5r5L
to the ritual.” Peyton grinned. He walked into the circle also without his63Please respect copyright.PENANAbZOqf9JQcu
shirt. “We will be taking the shards from you and taking the next step in my63Please respect copyright.PENANANSuceuH3bD
master’s plan.”
The63Please respect copyright.PENANADHUvecJul0
black robbed person began to chant as he cut into his arms. He allowed the63Please respect copyright.PENANAsmDGXkhRub
blood to flow towards the end of his fingertips. He walked towards Peyton63Please respect copyright.PENANA1jmH2shSai
allowing the blood to drip onto the ground. He started to draw strange symbols63Please respect copyright.PENANAQwEroWjfZD
onto Peyton’s arms, back, and chest. Even from where he kneels, Vander could63Please respect copyright.PENANAwQzq02f2CB
feel the power emanating from the runes, but it gave him a bad vibe from it.
Once63Please respect copyright.PENANAlkaN7CMaQC
they were done covering Peyton, the man walked over to where Vander knelt. “We63Please respect copyright.PENANAqLpVCbCPRi
will be taking your power now.” The voice whispered. Then he began to paint63Please respect copyright.PENANAGyoqKDrqOp
blood runes on Vander’s body. As soon as the final rune was painted on, his63Please respect copyright.PENANAI01Q2DGUfk
body was racked with pain. He fell to the ground violently convulsing while63Please respect copyright.PENANA4qPFO7KUTP
blue smoke enveloped his body. The smoke traveled from his body towards63Please respect copyright.PENANAUODRqDsvgy
Peyton’s then it started snaking up his leg.
“Yes,63Please respect copyright.PENANAwvCilbLYDh
yes!” Peyton cheered. As the smoke reached Peyton’s mouth, Vander felt a very63Please respect copyright.PENANAekkqf6YY6s
terrifying presence surrounding them. A void appeared between Vander and63Please respect copyright.PENANAHAHJ0MHGOH
Peyton, just above where the transferring was occurring. A familiar woman63Please respect copyright.PENANA3QyQfAfT6t
stepped out from between the dimensions followed by a large white wolf. Unna63Please respect copyright.PENANAXrtodALDA5
had come.
“I63Please respect copyright.PENANA9cGonnJOO4
was wondering what has happening here.” Unna smiled a blood red smile. Her63Please respect copyright.PENANAnzRaqV6u9P
presence caused the Serpents to collectively hold their breath, not a single63Please respect copyright.PENANAfyD52kcWHp
person dared to draw attention to themselves. Everyone except for Peyton.
“Unna!”63Please respect copyright.PENANASYeKWBEpbm
He laughed. “Have you come to bear witness to your new chosen?” She smiled and63Please respect copyright.PENANAhnhyFs3hmc
started walking towards him.
“Do63Please respect copyright.PENANAq5fao0FKDV
you think you can handle my power sweetie?” she smiled. “Stronger men than you63Please respect copyright.PENANAlf2N3n1RUP
have tried and failed, are so certain you can do it?”
“I63Please respect copyright.PENANAAuspGdYnl7
can handle anything.”
“We63Please respect copyright.PENANAw1wCc0oYka
will see.” She pressed a finger into his forehead. Black energy traveled from63Please respect copyright.PENANAHudKIgINV1
her body towards his. Peyton started screaming. The energy transfer started63Please respect copyright.PENANAaAQHpjxLVV
reversing as Peyton started convulsing. He bent over in half as thick fur63Please respect copyright.PENANAmXDddcuG1S
started sprouting on his body. His arms snapped in half as his leg buckled. His63Please respect copyright.PENANA0xFzVVPBhk
teeth began to fall around him as his jaw snapped and elongated.
“This63Please respect copyright.PENANAM5Ucaruj9R
wasn’t supposed to happen.” The black robed mage took a step backwards. Ritoru,63Please respect copyright.PENANA4b2CF3ElpF
spotting his chance, lunged forward, grabbing the man in his jaws then biting63Please respect copyright.PENANA1QJoSrFPiw
down sending blood spraying all over the courtyard.
“I63Please respect copyright.PENANA9LYZNmD1mD
thought you could handle my power?” Unna asked as Peyton still screamed in63Please respect copyright.PENANAnUfNtOY0A7
pain. “Unlike the others, you messed with something that wasn’t yours to63Please respect copyright.PENANAFdxrrmxOu5
control.” She took a step back towards Vander. “Vander, sweetie, this will be63Please respect copyright.PENANALODTPH9Y7S
the last time I save you. Next time, you’re on your own.” She brought her63Please respect copyright.PENANAoHf1l3HDjY
fingers up to whistle. Another portal opened. She and Ritoru stepped inside.63Please respect copyright.PENANAAe4mF6fa6z
“Good luck!”
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Vander63Please respect copyright.PENANAmDZroOGYol
may have kept a hold of his powers, but now he was staring down at one of63Please respect copyright.PENANAuYHgsVF6US
Unna’s beasts. He had to figure out how to get out of here while keeping Eliza63Please respect copyright.PENANAhiktHMw3Vl
and Kiara safe. There was only one way he knew how: it was time to make a deal63Please respect copyright.PENANAHqcGGDTa4M
with the devil.